Floating bottom attachment for yarn trucks



July 9, 1957 H. O. CODDINGTON FLOATING BQTTOM ATTACHMENT FOR YARN TRUCKS Filed Oct. 25,- 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1a 24 I w i I INVE ,2;

H0. [ZDFINGZ'OIV ATTORNEYS July 1957 H. 0., CODDINGTON 2,798,641

FLOATING BOTTOM ATTACHMENT FOR YARN TRUCKS Filed on. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 6f. lmillfgrolv ATTORNEY 5' United States Patent Ofifice FLOATING BOTTQM ATTACHMENT FOR .YARN TRUCKS Howard 0. Coddington, Spartauburg, S. (1., assignor to Sunray Company, Spartanburg, S. C.

Application Qetoher 25, 1956, Serial No. 618,340 r 3" Claims. (tCl. LEG- 93) vention eliminates the bending and reaching by providing a removable structure for use in the truck which comprises essentially. an automatic elevating platform whereby the platform .will automatically elevate the load in the truck to. a convenient height to be readily and easily reached asthetruck is filled or emptied. Heretofore, elevating devices have been known which are manually adjustable orwhich have complicated expensive structures, not readily andeasily removed or replaced, and not susceptible as in thepresent inventionto ready accommodation of varying weights .or loads. 2

In the present inventionthereis provided a very simple structure which is basically a pair of tracks or rails forms ing a bottom support which rests inside of the truck on the truck bottom and is not attached thereto in any way. a

A pair 'of crossed members on each side with each pair related, respectively, to a rail and generally of the functional nature of lazy tongs support a platform or load carrying member which is operatively related to the tongs. Special spring meansconnected in avery unique manner, which are a feature of this invention, provide fortheautomatic elevation of the load supporting'platform according to the weight on the latter. These springs are so constructed, related, and secured to the device as to make readily possible, without special tools, special adjustments or the like, as great or as light tension and lifting power as may be desired. Furthermore, the load support platform is operatively secured in such manner that it can readily be tilted on end to permit cleaning the truck of lint and trash without removal of the entire structure, a feature heretofore unknown in this art.

, A primary object of the invention is to provide a lifting attachment for yarn trucks of the class described above which will accomplish the desired end and be inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use, and serviceable for long periods of hard usage.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the lower frame with the upper frame and supports removed therefrom.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-section taken along the line 3-6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view of the spring arrangement.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssection taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the yarn truck shown partly broken away with the invention installed therein. 3

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the sey eral figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a yarn'truck of conventional design, as shown in Figure 7.

The yarn truck 10 includes a bottom 11 mounted on wheels or'rollers 12 journalled in brackets 13 fixed to the bottom 11 by securing elements 14. The yarn truck in-' cludes upstanding Walls 15 forming an opened top con tainer. The yarn truck 10 is adapted for the transporting of- .yarn bobbins 16 as required.

The instant invention is designed to maintain the availablebobbins 16 at a constant level within the yarn truck 10 and comprises a base generally indicated at 17 which includes a pair of'side rails 18 arranged in spaced parallel relation and each having a generally U-shaped crosssec tional configuration.

The side rails 18 are connected together at their opposite extremities by crossmembers 21 extending therebetween. Supporting plates 22 and 23 extend laterally from the rails;

18 adjacent the opposite ends thereof to form a seatfor the base 17 to engage the bottom 11 of the truck 10. The extension of the plates 22 and 23 laterally of the base 17 centers thebase 17 in the truck 10. Adjacent oneend of,

each of the tracks 13 and positioned exteriorly thereof is an upwardly projecting lug 24.

A pair of elongated bars 25 are arranged in spaced" parallel relation and have one end portion 26 thereof'secured, respectively, to the opposite lugs 24 by means of. pivot pins 27. A bar 3%) extends between the spaced apart bars 25 and has the opposite ends thereof 31 and 32, respectively, welded to the bars 25 adjacent to but spacedfrom the end portion 26 thereof. The opposite end portion 33 of the bar 25 is provided with a bevelled terminal end 34' having a roller 35 journalled thereon by means of a pivot pin 36. 1

A bar 37 extends between the bars 25 adjacent to but spaced from the end portions 33 thereof and has itsopposite ends welded to the bars 25 with the bar 37 in spaced parallel relation to the bar 30.

An upper frarnework generally indicated at 38 is ar ranged in spaced parallel relation to the base 17 and supports a false bottom 39 for the yarn truck 10. The false bottom 39 has a peripheral flange 40 depending therefrom. The upper frame 38 includes a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending channel track members 41, and intermediate thereof and parallel. thereto a channel support member 42. The opposite ends of the track members 41 and the channel member 42 are connected by cross members 43 and 44, respectively. The track members 18 adjacent the end thereof secured to the cross member 43 are provided with a depending lug 45 identical to the lug 24 previously described.

Elongated bars 46 arranged in spaced parallel relation are secured to the lugs 45 by means of pivot members 47. A bar 43 extends between the bars 46 adjacent to but spaced from the lugs 45 and has its opposite ends welded to the bars 46. A bar 49 extends between the Patented July 9, 1957 3 and parallel to the bar 49. The rollers 35 on the bars 25 support the tracks 41 and roll therein, while the rollers 51 on the bars 46 engage in the tracks 13 and roll therealong. i p p p 'A pivot bolt 54 extends transversely of the bars 25 and 46 at the mid-points thereof pivotally securing the bars 25 and 46 together, A tubular spacer 55 engages over the bolt 54 between the bars 46, while relatively short tubular spacers 56 are carried by the bolt 54 between the bars 25 and 46 on each side. The opposite ends of the bolt 54 are threaded to receive nuts 57 and lock nuts 58, as best illustrated in Figure 6.

Each of the tracks 18 are provided with upstanding retainer walls 59 provided with outwardly flared upper end portions 60, as best seen in Figure 1. The upstanding walls 59 are arranged along that portion of the track 18 in which the rollers 51 move and assist in maintaining the rollers 51 within the track 18. The upstanding wall 59 is positioned on the track 18 outwardly of the rollers 51 The tracks 41 are similarly provided with depending walls 61 positioned inwardly of the rollers 35 and having inwardly flared lower portions 62. The depending walls 61 are positioned along the tracks 41 adjacent to the portion thereof along which the roller 35 travels to assist in maintaining the rollers 35 within the track 41.

A plurality of coil springs 63 are provided with elongated end portions 64 and 65 and are adapted to be carried by the tubular spacer 55 with the opposite end portions 64 and 65 engaging, respectively, the bars 37 and 49, illustrated in Figure 3, to normally bias the bars 37 and 49 away from each other.

Additional coil springs 63 have oppositely extending end portions 64' and 65 engaging, respectively, the bars 48 and 30. The springs 63' are identical in every respect to the springs 63 and are carried on the tubular spacer 55 facing in the opposite direction.

While a plurality of springs 63 and springs 63' have been disclosed, it should be understood that any desired number of springs 63 and 63' can be used to counterbalance the load placed on the support 39. Furthermore, the springs 63 and 63' can be constructed with varying amounts of tension to permit minute adjustment of the spring loading of the device.

In the use and operation of the invention, bobbins 16, or other material to be carried in the truck 10, are placed on the support 39 in layers with each succeeding layer causing the support 39 to sink into the truck against the tension of the springs 63 and 63'. The number of springs 63 and 63' and their tension being determined so that the support 39 will lower one layer as each layer 4 is added thereto. The springs 63 and 63' will raise the support 39 in an exactly opposite manner as the bobbins 16, or other materials on the support 39, is removed therefrom.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A floating bottom attachment for yarn trucks comprising a base including a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending tracks, an upper framework including a second pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending tracks, said upper framework being arranged in generally parallel relation to said base, a pair of bars each pivotally secured at one end thereof to one end of one of said tracks of said base, a second pair of bars each having one end thereof pivotally secured to one end of one of said tracks of said upper framework, a roller journalled to the end of each of said first pair of bars and engaging in said tracks of said upper framework, a roller journalled to the end of said second pair of bars and engaging in said track of said base, a pivot securing the mid-points of said pairs of bars together in pivotal relation, a plurality of coil springs having oppositely extending elongated end portions, means on said pivot mounting said coil springs thereon, and a plurality of transverse bars extending between the parallel members of each pair of bars with said elongated end portions of said springs engaging said last named bars.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided onsaid tracks for guiding said rollers therein.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means on said pivot for mounting said springs comprises a tubular spacer extending between said second pair of bars.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first pair of bars and said second pair of bars are spaced apart, and means mounted on said pivot is positioned therebetween for maintaining the spaced relationship.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coil springs are coiled about said means mounting said springs on said pivot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 399,220 Timroth Mar. 5, 1889 1,307,261 Lee June 17, 1919 2,489,947 Backart Nov. 29, 1949 2,769,568 Eurey Nov. 6, 1956 

